1.Everyone shall possess the right to freely express and publicise his thoughts in words, images or by any other means, as well as the right to inform others, inform himself and be informed without hindrance or discrimination
2.Exercise of the said rights shall not be hindered or limited by any type or form of censorship
Constitution of the Portuguese Republic, Article 37.º

Gonçalo Amaral to present “The English Gag” in Oporto

The former PJ inspector focuses on injunctions that “put citizens’ rights at stake”

On Tuesday, former PJ inspector Gonçalo Amaral presents his new book, “The English Gag”, in Oporto, a book that he “never” expected to write and in which he focuses the issue of injunctions that “put citizens’ rights at stake”.

“I never expected to write this book. It is about freedom of expression, which is something that I thought was well defined in this country. But I keep perceiving that something is not working well under this regime, with decisions that are unconstitutional”, Gonçalo Amaral told Lusa.

The new book appears after his book “Maddie – The Truth of the Lie” was targeted by an injunction that was presented by the McCann family, leading to the book being removed from the market in September.

The parents of Madeleine McCann, who disappeared on the 3rd of May, 2007, in Praia da Luz, in the Algarve, alleged that the book and the video that was sold after a documentary that was broadcast on TVI, divulge Gonçalo Amaral’s thesis, which they consider unsustainable, that both are involved in their daughter’s disappearance.

As the coordinator of the PJ’s Criminal Investigation Department of Portimão, Gonçalo Amaral was a member of the investigators’ team that tried to find out what happened to Madeleine McCann.

The start of this process’ trial had been scheduled for the 11th of December but ended up being adjourned to January due to the former inspector’s lawyer being ill.

Today, Gonçalo Amaral clarified that this new book “does not include any novelties relating to police cases”, even because he cannot “express anything” about his thesis, which, he defended, “is a based opinion that is shared by other inspectors”.

“The peak of peaks”

The English Gag “brings the issue of public injunctions that put citizens’ rights at stake into public opinion”, the former inspector stressed, adding that “the injunctions have been used by the McCanns’ lawyers to intimidate other people”.

In his new book, Gonçalo Amaral discusses “the base for the injunction” (that he has been targeted with) and that “it is based on lies”.

Amaral thinks that it would be “the peak of peaks” and “an attack against the Portuguese people’s intelligence” if this new book is equally targeted by an injunction.

Thanks GonçaloYou are speaking for all of us and you will win if there is anything to win in this sordid game that "some people" have started.They live in the wrong time witht he wrong peopleVENCEREMOS!!!!Censura NUNCA MAISFelices Fiestas PeaceUn gran abrazo

The McCanns have been allowed to threaten, intimidate and sue people with unbelievable impunity. They have ben given space in the British press to spread their implausible abduction version, with the vocal support of some journalists. Now, in Portugal, we see some PR persons and lawyers naturally paid by the generous Madeleine Fund, dancing to the McCann's tune, and defending the "they have taken her " theory. People who refused accepting a simple red carnation, knowing fully well the meaning for the Portuguese of such flower.

If the British media is finally awaikening to the inconsistencies of the McCann's version and starts viewing this case with a new perspective, I think that in name of fairness and equality of treatment, they should now give voice to Goncalo Amaral. I admit it is wishful thinking but I can only understand their refusal to do so, only if they continue being manipulated, gagged and afraid of the McCann power, handed to them by the nauseating actions of their formidable army of expensive lawyers. The lack of courage and self imposed censure of the British press has been as appalling as the decision by the Portuguese judiciary of shelving this case was. I ask: dare we hope for a change soon? I see some signs.

As someone said in another posting, "the genies are out of the bottle, now" and Goncalo Amaral might have himself opened that bottle. And I bow before so much dinity, courage and determination in this man.

The Maccanns are shameless, its almost impossible to have any sympathy with them, regarding the loss of their daughter, they have had ample time to tell the truth. They have told lie after lie stood by and watched Innocent people go through hell, and are still doing it, they deserve all that will come to them Kate and Gerry your time is nigh.If You love your daughter and cherish her memory tell the truth about what happened to her you owe her that.

Little by little, we shall win, The Mcs seem to forget that we were also the biggest Empire in the 1800s. Like Maques de Pombal said and I quote.......... It is necessary four men , to carry away one Port. dead man.Well Done, You do us proud of being Port. and like Blair we dnt go to war and murder people for the sake of oil. lol I believe Gerry and Blair were school chums. Jamar

Blair was born 6th May 1953...Mccann is much younger, too young to have been a school chum. There is a connection however, Donegal...Blair spent a lot of his time there as a youngster..he knows Donegal very well.

Hello and good morning anonymous 9, I don't know how many people have the video 'One Minute for Maddie', I'm sure some people downloaded the CEOP/Find Madeleine to their PC's but statistically I think it's impossible to have a number on that. The CEOP and the UK media reported that more than 10 million people saw the video in less than a week, I don't know if those numbers are correct, if that means hits/views or single ip's.

I think that a lot of people who know the McCanns are confused because they have seen that the grief displayed by the McCanns at the beginning was genuine.

They have not realised that what they had seen were parents grieving more in line with the death of a child than one that had gone missing and where there would still be hope she might be returned alive.

Those who witnessed the scene of the McCanns' extreme grief appear to be at a loss to explain what they were seeing, and even embarrassed by the sight of Gerry McCann crawling around and lying around crying like a baby. Then Kate and Gerry in unison moaning and making strange contortions on the bed.

Once the information from the court case is made public the behaviour of the McCanns might make more sense to those witnesses.

There was no need for the McCanns to search if she was already dead, which they didn't do, whereas if she had really been missing what parent would not have been out there in the cold, dark or whatever, with torches, searching, calling out for their child all night, until they were so exhausted they would drop.

After all, even if the child had been taken off by someone she might still have been alive out there somewhere lying injured.

The McCanns didn't do these things, they went to bed. Searching all night for them was a waste of time.

Anon at 2, yes, it was unfortunate at the time that the 3As website disappeared, but since its disappearance gave birth to the Maddie Case Files forum I don't think it has really mattered in the long run. It also gave more prominence to sites such as Missing Madeleine and to various blogs or sites dealing with one or other aspects of the case. The Madeleine Foundation still has a website, also Bren has a new 3As site.

I've never understood the wish to close websites/blogs/forums. What on earth is the point of getting one closed, just to find a new one (or two) popping up almost immediately? The new sites tend to generate more interest, plus all the most interesting information is reposted and discussed as a priority - do those who work to close sites not see this?

It's the same with books or leaflets: once the information within them is available it can't ever be made unavailable. It'll turn up again and again, it can't be contained. The books might be kept out of the shops in the UK but there are other ways the information can be provided to the public. Sometimes you'd think the DVD about the case had never been released and the whole process of investigation, including all the statements, was a secret. It isn't; it's freely available to anyone interested in the case.

I know the case isn't as interesting to many people as it was back in 2007, but every so often it hits the headlines (well, page 7 or something) again and reignites the interest. If public interest in the case and in Madeleine's fate could be used to get the case reopened eventually, this can only be a good thing. There's no way things can be left as they are, with Madeleine's fate being unknown and no one held accountable.

Joana, do you know how we can buy this book in England? I believe it is only available in Portuguese at the moment, but www.amazon.pt is unavailable and I don't know any other way of buying books internationally. (I got Maddie L'Enquete Interdite from Amazon.fr.) I want to buy it soon in case it gets, erm, whoosh clucked.